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AP Government and Politics Review Study Guide
Note: For all terms/concepts listed it is expected that in addition to being able to identify them you will also be
able to give examples, explain their significance, and when appropriate identify criticisms. This list is by no
means exhaustive; it is meant only to be a guide to point you towards the most important ideas found in each
unit.
I will provide you with a schedule for our in-class reviews. You are expected to review that unit before coming
to class. There will be unannounced pop quizzes, sometimes before we review the unit in class.
Constitutional Underpinnings
Key concepts:

Compare the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

Why did separation of powers and federalism become key parts of the Constitution?

Why didn’t the Constitution originally contain a bill of rights? Why was one added?

What is the process to amend the Constitution?

Be able to contrast federalist and anti-federalist perspectives.

What is the difference between federal and centralized systems?

Give examples that show the U.S. has shifted towards cooperative federalism?

Why have federal grants-in-aid been politically popular with states? But what are the drawbacks of
accepting this federal money?

Why have categorical grants continued to grow more rapidly than block grants?

How has the relationship between the states and national government changed?

Distinguish between mandates and conditions of aid.

What has been the effect of the commerce clause on federal (Congressional) power?

Provide examples of the U.S. becoming more democratic.

Distinguish between separation of powers & checks and balances

List key enumerated/expressed powers of the federal government.

What are some limits on federal governmental power?

What are some limits on state power?

How does the Constitution limit majority rule?

Distinguish between powers delegated to federal government and those reserved to the states.
Vocabulary:
Articles of the Constitution
Bill of Rights
Amendments 11-27
Amendment process
Articles of Confederation
Northwest Ordinance
Shay’s Rebellion
New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan
Great (a.k.a. Connecticut) Compromise
Bicameral legislature
Three-fifths compromise
Influence of Enlightenment philosophers
Social contract
Popular sovereignty
The Federalist papers
The Federalist #10
The Federalist #51
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Pure/Direct Democracy
Representative Democracy
Republic
Nullification
Judicial Review
Delegated powers
Reserved powers
Concurrent powers
Enumerated/Expressed powers
Implied powers
Inherent powers
Extradition
Bill of attainder
Ex post facto laws
Writ of habeas corpus
Full faith and credit clause
Privileges and immunities clause
Supremacy clause
Commerce clause
Necessary and Proper clause
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Federalism
Dual federalism (layer cake)
Cooperative federalism (marble cake)
Fiscal federalism
Grants-in-aid
Block grants
Categorical grants
Revenue sharing
Mandates (funded or unfunded)
Conditions of aid
Devolution
Initiative
Recall
Referendum
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Confederation
Unitary system
Centralized
Civil Rights; Civil Liberties; Landmark Supreme Court decisions
Key concepts:

How has use of the incorporation doctrine strengthened the federal government?

What is the basis for incorporation?

What are limits the SC has placed on freedom of expression/speech?

Reasons for low African American voter turnout from 1870-1965

What does “legislating from the bench” mean?

How did the courts take the lead in promoting civil rights?

What limits has the SC placed on Affirmative Action?

Know the incorporation cases
14th Amendment
Due process clause
Incorporation
Selective incorporation
Barron v. Baltimore (1833)
Equal protection clause
Citizenship clause
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Freedom of Assembly
Freedom of Religion
Establishment clause
Free-Exercise clause
Wall of separation principle
Slander
Libel
Obscenity
Symbolic speech
Hate speech
Preferred position doctrine
Prior Restraint
Rights of the accused
Double Jeopardy
Unreasonable search and seizure
Probable cause
Exclusionary rule
Objective good faith
Inevitable discovery rule
Implied right to privacy
Due process
Substantive due process
Procedural due process
Lemon test
Jim Crow laws
Poll tax
Grandfather clause
Civil Rights Act of 1964
De facto segregation
De jure segregation
Affirmative action
It is only important to know the results of the cases.
Freedom of Speech Cases
Schneck v. United States (1919)
Gitlow v. New York (1925)
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986)
Hustler Magazine v. Falwell (1988)
Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Morse v. Frederick (2007)
Freedom of the Press
Near v. Minnesota (1931)
New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)
New York Times v. U.S. (1971)
Miller v. California (1973)
Hazlewood School v. Kuhlmeier (1988)
Freedom of Assembly and Association
Thornhill v. Alabama (1940)
Cox v. New Hampshire (1941)
Lloyd Corporation v. Tanner (1972)
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000)
Freedom of Religion
Englel v. Vitale (1962)
Abington School District v. Schempp (1963)
Epperson v. Arkansas (1968)
Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)
Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
Employment Division v. Smith (1990)
Rights of the Accused
Weeks v. United States (1914)
Powell v. Alabama (1932)
Betts v. Brady (1942)
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Gideon v. Wainright (1963)
Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Furman v. Georgia (1972)
Woodson v. North Carolina (1976)
Gregg v. Georgia (1976)
Atkins v. Virginia (2002)
Right to Privacy
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1987)
Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)
Lawrence v. Texas (2003)
Civil Rights
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964)
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)
Grutter v. Bollinger/Gratz v. Bollinger (2003)
Korematsu v. U.S. (1944)
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
The Judiciary
Key concepts:

How do the various judicial philosophies influence decisions made by Justices?

What does judicial review allow the SC to overturn?

What political factors affect presidents when nominating Justices?

What are reasons the SC will decide to hear a case?

What are formal checks Congress has on the Judiciary?

What are formal checks the president has on the Judiciary?

What does the lack of police power mean for the Judiciary?

Judicial checks on presidency

Judicial checks on Congress

SC & public opinion: how affected by it; how protected from it?
Article 3 of the Constitution
Judicial Review
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Strict Constructionism
Loose Interpretation
Judicial Restraint
Judicial activism
Original intent
Due Process
Substantive due process
Procedural due process
Civil law
Criminal law
Grand jury
Federal District Courts
Circuit Court of Appeals
Original jurisdiction
Appellate jurisdiction
Appointment/confirmation process
Senatorial courtesy (blue slip)
Litmus test
In forma pauperis
Writ of certiorari
Rule of Four
Standing
Briefs
Amicus Curiae briefs
Stare decisis
Precedent
Solicitor General
Majority opinion
Concurring opinion
Dissenting opinion
Process of a case reaching the Supreme Court
Marshall Court
Warren Court
Dual court system
Congress
Key concepts:

Differences between House & Senate

Where does most of the work in Congress take place?

What barriers currently negatively affect minority representation in Congress?

Impeachment process

What are various offices/positions that require Senate confirmation? How does Senate confirmation
affect presidential decision making?

War Powers Resolution—what, purpose, how effective?

How does a president’s veto power/power to issue executive orders affect congressional decision
making?

Where do most bills die?

Qualifications for Representatives and Senators

Terms for Representatives and Senators

Factors influencing how congressmen vote

Process of a bill becoming law

Advantages of majority party

Tactics of minority party to block legislation

How are chairmen of committee often selected?

Congressional checks on President

Congressional checks on Judiciary

How is a president affected by Congress’ oversight, confirmation, and budget powers?
Expressed powers of Congress
Article 1 of the Constitution
Elastic clause
Commerce clause
Gibbons v. Ogden
McCulloch v. Maryland
Census
Reapportionment
Redistricting
Gerrymandering
Congressional oversight
Markup
Congressional committees
House Rules Committee
Conference committee
Standing committee
Joint committee
Select/special committee
House Ways and Means Committee
Appropriations
Caucus
Hold
Filibuster
Cloture
Pork barrel
Riders
Logrolling
Earmarks
Representational view
Organizational view
Attitudinal view
Trustee
Delegate
Incumbency advantage
Senatorial courtesy
Gridlock
Congressional leadership positions
Speaker of the House
Majority/minority leader
President pro tempore
Whip
President of the Senate
Simple resolution
Quorum
Double-tracking
Tabled/shelved
Voice vote
Teller vote
Roll-call vote
Concurrent Resolution
Joint Resolution
Legislative veto
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Congressional Budget Act (1974)
Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1896)
War Powers Act (1973)
Budget Reform Act (1974)
Freedom of Information Act (1966)
The Presidency and Bureaucracy
Key concepts:

Which branch takes the lead in foreign affairs?

What makes it difficult for the president to control the bureaucracy?

What is the purpose of the White House staff/office?

Which positions can presidents appoint without Senate confirmation?

What is the trend regarding presidential approval ratings?

Why do presidents so heavily rely on persuasion?

How does popularity affect a presidents ability to accomplish his goals?

Why doesn’t the president’s cabinet always do what he wants them to do?

Criticism of federal agencies making, enforcing, and interpreting rules

Factors that contribute to bureaucratic independence

Why are federal agencies given discretion/independence?

Be able to list2 Independent Executive Agencies & 3 Independent Regulatory Commissions

What is the difference between Ind. Ex. Agencies & Ind. Reg. Commissions?

Checks on bureaucracy

Executive checks on Congress

Executive checks on Judiciary
Article 2 of the Constitution
Expressed powers of the presidency
Formal powers of the presidency
Informal powers of the presidency
Roles of the president
Commander-in-Chief
Head of State
Party leader
Chief diplomat
Office of Management and Budget
Cabinet
White House Office/staff
Executive order
Executive agreement
Divided government
Unified government
Limits on the president’s power
Pyramid structure
Circular structure
Ad hoc structure
Trustee/delegate methods
Lame duck
Pocket veto
Line-item veto
Clinton v. New York (1998)
U.S. v. Nixon (1974)
Executive privilege
Federal Reserve Board
Iron triangle
Issue network
Civil service system
Merit system
15 executive branch departments
Government corporations
Criticism of independent regulatory agencies
Quasi-legislative/quasi-judicial powers
Administrative adjudication
“Revolving door”
Examples of regulatory agencies
Red tape
Free riders
Hatch Act (1939)
Pendleton Act (1883)
Public Policy
Key concepts:

Monetary vs. fiscal policy

Threats to future of Social Security

Mandatory vs. discretionary spending

Why is the Federal Reserve Board an independent regulatory commission?

Who receive Medicare? Who receive Medicaid?
Keynesian economics
Laissez-faire economics
Gross domestic product (GDP)
Fiscal year
Fiscal policy
Monetary policy
Federal Reserve System
Reserve Requirement
Discount rate
Open market operations
Inflation
Office of Management and Budget
Congressional Budget Office
Mandatory spending
Discretionary spending
Welfare (Temp. Assistance for Needy Families)
Entitlement programs
Medicare/Medicaid
Social Security
Supplementary Security Income (SSI)
Welfare Reform Act (1996)
Issue-attention cycle
Agenda setting
Policy formulation
Policy adoption
Policy implementation
Policy evaluation
Objectives of policy making
Majoritarian politics
Client politics
Free riders
Public Opinion & Political Socialization
Key concepts:

Source of political socialization?

Reasons for low voter turnout?

Proposals to increase voter turnout?

Demographic groups most/least likely to vote

Voter turnout: general elections vs. primaries/caucuses vs. midterm elections

How do public opinion polls influence members of Congress?
Random sampling
Sampling error
Exit polls
Gallup poll
Saliency, intensity, and stability of opinions
Political elites
Activists
“New class”
Political socialization
Ideology
Liberal
Conservative
Libertarian
Demographics of above ideologies
Race, religion, gender, income, and region
Evangelical Christians
Silent majority
Gender gap
Methods of political participation
Why does the US have such high rates of non-voting?
Motor voter
White primary
Grandfather clause
Poll tax
Literacy test
Political efficacy
Linkage Institutions: Interest Groups & Media
Key concepts:

What does the media focus on during election coverage?

What role does the media play in agenda setting?

Tactics of interest groups

Activities of lobbyists

Differences between political parties and interest groups?

Consequence of media consolidation?

How can the media aid or limit interest group efforts?

Government regulation of interest groups

PACs: purpose, regulations,

What group of people tend to be overrepresented by interest groups/PACs?
Interest groups
Lobbying
Functions of lobbyists
How do interest groups influence government?
PACs
527 groups
Economic interest groups
Single-issue groups
Media bias
Sound bite
Watchdog
Gatekeeper
Framing
Scorekeeper
Trial balloon
Fairness doctrine
Adversarial press
Libel
Linkage Institutions: Political parties and elections
Key concepts:

What is a criticism of gerrymandering?

What limits has the SC placed on gerrymandering?

Party demographics

Why do states engage in front-loading?

Incumbency advantages

What happens when no candidate wins a majority in the electoral college?

Federal campaign regulations?

Compare delegates to average citizen

How does the electoral college affect candidates’ strategies?

Difference in strategies during primary elections and general election

Typically, who are in charge of congressional redistricting?

Barriers to third party success

Difference between party realignment and dealignment

How does use of superdelegates increase the influence of Democratic party leaders?

What is a consequence of winner-take-all primaries?
Two party system
Rise of the party system
Third parties
Primary elections
Open primary
Closed primary
Cacuses
Ideological parties
Single-issue parties
Factional parties
Platform
National convention
Political parties and the Constitution
Political machine
Candidate-centered politics
Constituency
Demographics of Republican and Democrat voters
Republican ideologies
Democrat ideologies
Coalition
Conservative coalition
Dixiecrat
Decline of party influence
Party realignment
Critical election
Dealignment
Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA)
Soft money
Hard money
Campaign finance laws
Functions of political parties
Split ticket voting
Straight ticket voting
Office bloc (Massachusetts) ballot
Party-column (Indiana) ballot
Incumbent
Party identification as a factor in voting
Winner-take-all primaries
Proportional representation primaries
Frontloading
Electoral college
Midterm elections
Patronage
Superdelegates
General election
Plurality
Winner-take-all system
Single-member districts
Runoff election
Super Tuesday
Coattails
Malapportionment
Sophomore surge
Franking privilege
Position issue
Valence issue
Prospective voting
Retrospective voting
Marginal districts
Safe Districts
Party polarization
Steering committee
Elections cases:
Wesberry v. Sanders (1963)
Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
Shaw v. Reno (1993)